Original Word: נוּמָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: nuwmah
Pronunciation: noo-mah
Phonetic Spelling: (noo-maw')
KJV: drowsiness
NASB: drowsiness
Word Origin: [from H5123 (נוּם - slumber)]

1. sleepiness

drowsiness

From nuwm; sleepiness -- drowsiness.

see HEBREW nuwm

Word Origin
from num
Definition
somnolence, indolence
NASB Translation
drowsiness (1).

נוּמָה noun feminine somnolence, figurative for indolence, Proverbs 23:21.

Definition and Sense in Proverbs 23:21

נוּמָה concentrates the idea of drowsy stupor that follows excess. In its single biblical appearance it stands beside “the drunkard and the glutton,” portraying more than ordinary fatigue; it is lethargy bred by self-indulgence and therefore morally culpable. Poverty, pictured as an inevitable consequence, is not merely economic but a stripping away of dignity (“will clothe them in rags”).

Placement in Wisdom Literature

1. Moral cause-and-effect. The proverb belongs to the larger wisdom motif that links intemperance and laziness to ruin (compare Proverbs 21:17; 28:19).
2. Parallel maxims. “A little sleep, a little slumber… and poverty will come” (Proverbs 6:10–11; 24:33–34) articulates the same progression but broadens it to any habitual neglect of duty.
3. Contrast with diligence. Proverbs repeatedly blesses the diligent with plenty and honor (Proverbs 10:4; 12:24), heightening the warning inherent in נוּמָה.

Historical and Cultural Background

Agrarian Israel depended on timely labor—plowing, sowing, harvesting. Drunken feasting at the wrong season and the lethargy it induced endangered household survival. The sage therefore frames drowsiness not as a private vice but as a communal threat that could waste family inheritance and weaken the covenant community.

Theological Trajectory

1. Sin of sloth. Though Scripture never isolates sloth as a formal category, the warning against נוּמָה aligns with later Christian identification of acedia as a capital sin that erodes love of God and neighbor.
2. Watchfulness theme. Prophetic and Apostolic voices spiritualize the same danger. “Wake up from your slumber” (Romans 13:11) and “Let us not sleep as the others do” (1 Thessalonians 5:6) apply vigilance language to readiness for Christ’s return. Thus the physical drowsiness of Proverbs foreshadows spiritual lethargy that can dull eschatological hope.

Ministry and Discipleship Significance

• Personal holiness: Believers must guard appetites. Gluttony and drunkenness dull the senses, hampering prayer and service.
• Stewardship: Lethargy wastes God-given resources; poverty and “rags” become visible symbols of neglected vocation.
• Leadership: Elders are charged to be “sober-minded” (1 Timothy 3:2). A sleepy shepherd imperils the flock.
• Evangelism and eschatology: Jesus’ repeated “Keep watch” (Mark 13:35–37) and the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1–13) echo Proverbs 23:21 by linking drowsiness to unpreparedness for the Bridegroom.

Related Biblical Passages

Proverbs 23:21

Proverbs 6:9–11

Proverbs 24:33–34

Romans 13:11–14

Ephesians 5:14

1 Thessalonians 5:6

Mark 13:35–37

Matthew 25:1–13

Practical Applications for Today

• Cultivate self-control in eating, drinking, media, and rest, recognizing that overindulgence breeds spiritual torpor.
• Establish rhythms of work and Sabbath that honor God rather than personal comfort.
• Encourage accountability within the church so that early signs of נוּמָה—indifference to Scripture, prayerlessness, chronic lateness—are lovingly addressed.
• Preach the urgency of the gospel; salvation’s nearness (Romans 13:11) calls for alert disciples, not drowsy onlookers.

Summary

Though appearing only once, נוּמָה warns that physical drowsiness born of excess mirrors a deeper spiritual danger. Scripture consistently opposes such lethargy with diligence, sobriety, and watchfulness, urging God’s people to remain awake to their responsibilities and to the imminent coming of the Lord.

נוּמָֽה׃ נומה׃ nū·māh nuMah nūmāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts